Sports & Exercise Therapy students help Rhinos step up preparations ahead of Super League kick-off

Students from the BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Therapy course have provided a series of sports massage sessions to players at both the Carnegie School of Sport building and the Rhinos’ Kirkstall training base. 

The squad received their third session of massage therapy during their mid-December visit to campus, with more sessions planned in the New Year. They are one of several ways that the university is helping to support the club ahead of their first match against Warrington Wolves in February.

Matt Duke, BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Therapy Lecturer and Assistant Therapist for the Rhinos, said: “The students get taught the theory and practical competencies at university. However, when they actually get to see the real-world in terms of athlete injuries, the density and the quality of the tissue that professional athletes have, do students then gain an understanding of what it takes to work on a professional athlete. 

“Rugby League is a brutal game and if we’re able to help their soft tissue recover more quickly, then it’s beneficial for the players in terms of injury prevention and recovery, which will hopefully get a better performance out of them.”

The Rhinos also took part in performance testing and were quizzed by Journalism students as part of the close partnership between the university and the club.  

BSc (Hons) Sports and Exercise Therapy student Justyna Lech said: “It’s different to what we’ve been doing. In first year, we only worked on each other, so we didn’t have to deal with injuries and how much pressure to put on. 

“It’s pretty awesome because each individual is different and wants us to work on a different part of the body.”